March 29, 2024

Ahmad Khan, Spoke News

The City of Cambridge held its first ever Potters’ Market just outside the picturesque Cambridge City Hall in downtown Galt on Saturday. The event, organized and funded by the Downtown Cambridge BIA, generated tremendous attention from the community interested in the art of pottery.

Downtown Cambridge BIA manager Brian Kennedy said that they had 15 vendors at the event, which was the cut off for how many they could have, and indicated they had many more applications.

“Our mandate is the marketing and beautification of the downtown area,” Kennedy said.

Trudy Schulz, a member of both the Waterloo Potters Workshop and Potters Guild of Hamilton Region, said that she would love to see this turned into an annual event. She further added that the Waterloo Potters workshop just recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Potters Market
Trudy Schulz stands at a booth in the Potters’ Market in Cambridge, ON on Sept 29, 2018. Photo by Ahmad Khan

“Not sure why this did not happen in Cambridge earlier,” Schulz said. “We were not sure about the turn out, but it was well visited.”

Schulz also said that more people attended because of the Farmers Market, which was being held in close proximity to the Potters’ Market.

Daphne Wang
Daphne Wang stands next to her pottery stall in Cambridge, ON on Sept 29, 2018. Photo by Ahmad Khan

Daphne Wang, a vendor at the event and the artist behind dw ceramics, said that she actually lived in Waterloo and came here to become part of this event.

Garret Titus decided to stop at the event while walking his dog and said that every vendor had something unique to offer.

“Each table has a special vibe to it,” Titus said.

Visitors
Garret Titus and Melissa Janzen at the Potters’ Market in Cambridge, ON on Sept 29, 2018. Photo by Ahmad Khan

Antonette Zimic and her daughter Rachel were both were very excited for the market.

“I am artistic, and I appreciate the work people put into creating it,” Antonette Zimic told SpokeOnline.

Visitors
Antonette Zimic (Left) and Rachel Zimic (right) visit the Potters Market in Cambridge, ON on Sept 29, 2018. Photo by Ahmad Khan

Rachel Zimic also shared her enthusiasm. Zimic said that events like these gave her the opportunity to support local artists. Zimic further said that it was good to see all the money going to the local artists.

“It is important to support the local economy,” Zimic noted.

Katie Goepen, maker of Katie Gabeart, was attending her first event as a potter.

Potter
Katie Goepen at her stall in the Potters’ Market in Cambridge, ON on Sept 29, 2018. Photo by Ahmad Khan

She said that she believed in the beauty of simplicity and pottery gave expression to her feelings.

“Events like these give us a platform,” she said.

While the Potters’ Market was held outdoors, the well established ones in Waterloo and Hamilton are generally held indoors and are larger in scale. It is hoped that the Cambridge Potters’ Market will become an annual event.

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